Variable speed transmission



March 7, 1944. A. G. BADE VARIABLEl SPEED TRANSMISSIO Filed June 1,2, -1941 venian Sres-'r r. y

e Wmm, Wis., assigner to ses o.

The Faits C rwration,

This invention relates to variable speed transmissions of the planetary friction type, such for instance as those disclosed in' my prior Patent No. 2,239,983 and the prior patent to`myself and Walter P. Schmitter, No. 2,263,637.

Each oi the transmissions therein disclosed involves 'a plurality of tapered planet rollers in rolling contact with a control ring which is adjustable lengthwise of the rollers to vary their planetary action and thereby vary the speed ratio of the transmission. also usually involve some form oi" device for Such transmissions SSSION weee, Wis., a corillustration is shown enclosed in a substantially 'cylindrical housing it. 'having an integral rear end wail il supporting a central hub i2, the

housing being closed at its front end by an ap-v propriate end head i3 having a central hub it. The 'hub it provides a rigid support for a L driven-shaft l journalled in appropriate bearforcing the rollers against the control ring so asJ to establish normal pressures therebetween of sufficient tude to insure adequate traction. In the transmissions therein shown the torque is transmitted through a planetary system of toothed gears, including a planet pinion attached to each roller, which are diilicult and costly to produce and whih,l under some conditions, are inclined to be noisy.

An object of the present invention is to avoid the use of toothed gearing in a transmission of this type without impairing the load transmitting capacity thereof. This `I have accomplished by making use of a planetary system of friction gears so combined with other parts of the transmission as to provide and maintain high normal pressures between the friction' gears. A more specific object is toprovide a variable speed transmission of this type in which the `pressure reactions between the rollers and Another specic object is to provide a variable Y speed transmission of this type in which the same means which forces the rollers into pressure contact with the control ring also serves to develop pressure contact between the friction elements of the planetary gearing.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of a variable speed transmission constructed in with the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is an axial sectional. view of a vari able speed transmission embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional. view taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the drive shaft, with parts shown in elevation.

accordance ings iB therein. The shaft i5 is hollowed out at its inner end to form a seat for a roller bearing i7 in which is journalled a "stub shaft I8 projecting from and supporting lone end of a rotor I9 to be later described. .The other end of the rotor is supported by a disk 2n attached thereto and having supporting shaft 2i 'jour nailed in a'bealring 22 fixed in a cage 23. The cage 23 has a sleeve extension 2t surrounding .the shaft 2i and slidably fitted in the hub I2.

Shaft 2l is the drive shaft.

The rollers of the bearing il are free to shift axially within their outer bearing race 25, and

the rotor i9, drive shaft 2i, and cage 23 are also Afree to shift axially therewith, as a unit, forroller comprises an intermediate-cylindrical section 2l journalled in a spherical bearing 2t fixed in the rotor i9, a tapered conical section 29 disposed at one side'of the bearing, and an extended portion 30 disposed at the opposite side of the bearing andY carrying a friction head or gear 3l ixed thereto. Eachroller is free to rock in its bearing 28, but the axis of the roller is mainl tained within a radial plane of the rotor I9 by a bearing 32 carried by the free end of the conical section 29 and engaged in a radial slot 33 formed in the disk 20. y

The friction gear-3l of each roller engages ythe conical face 3d of a ring et ccarried by a disk 88 on the driven shaft I, and the gear Si ls prefer#l ably slightly crowned so as to reducel the area of contact with face 3d. The inclination of the face 3d is such that, when the rotor i9 and rollers are forced toward the diskt, the face 3i reacts on the friction gears 3i to force them inwardly and coacts with the spherical lbearings 2S, as fulcrums. to force the tapered sections 29 of the rollers outwardly against an encircling control ring 37.

The control ring 3l is supported by the several rol1ers`26 and is centered thereby. It is retained against rotation by means which reacts to urge the rotor I9 axially vtoward'the disk 3E. In the device shown, the means for that purpose includes The uariahle speed transmission selected for a cylindrical shell 33 surrounding and spaced 'nal guide slots 39 therein positioned to receive diametrically disposed pins 40 which project radi'- ally from the ring 31. 'I'he shell 38 is swingably supported at one end by a pair of vertically aligned pivot pins 4| fixed in an end collar 42 of the shell and engaged in appropriate sockets 43 formed in an inner carrier ring 44. The shell 38 is thus free to swing horizontally so as to provide horizontal freedom of movement for the control ring 31, and since the pins 40 are free to move vertically in their vguide slots 39, thereby providing vertical freedom of movement of the control ring of aligned diametrically disposed pivot pins 45 xed therein' and engaged in suitable sockets in the cage 23, in a manner similar to the pivot pins 4 I. One of the pins 45 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In order to avoid conict with the sockets 31, the control ring is free to center itself with l the appended claims.

43 in the ring 44, the pins 45 are preferably slightly offset from the pins 4I in the collar 42 so that their common axis is only slightly inclined from the vertical axis of the pins 4i. The carrier ring `44 is thus flexibly attached to the cage 23 and to the shell 38 in such manner as to prevent krelative rotation or axial movement therebetween.

The carrier ring 44, and consequently the shell 38 and control ring 31, are-restrained against rotation by a camming device ofl a well known 'type which reacts to force the ring 44, cage 23, and rotor I9 toward the left (Fig. 1 In this instance the cammingA device shown comprises two balls 48 in an appropriate retainer ring 41, each being confined between a pair of opposed cam grooves 48 formed in the opposed faces of .the ring 44 and a-stationary ring 49 anchored to the end wall il of'` the housing. The arrangement is su'ch that, as the ring 44'is urged to rotate in either direction under the torque reaction transmitted from the control ring 31 through the shell 38, the cam surfaces of the grooves 48 react on the balls in a Well known manner to force the ring 44, and consequently the cage .23 and rotor I8, axially away from the housing and wall Il,

and this movement or axial thrust is resisted by sides. of the shaft 2l., and it will be noted that since the ring 44 is otherwise free to swing about tliie i:com mtm axis of the substantially upright D vo pins 6, the thrusts -of the balls 48 against` equaiid.

the ring 44 are sl'ibstantiallyv It will of course be understood that the rotor I8 is driven by the shaft 2| and that the several rollers 26 revolve therewith, with the conical sections 28 thereof :in rolling con twith the control ring 31 and the friction gears." thereof in rolling. contact with the driven'ring 35. By Y rotor -I9, so that the rate and direction of rotation of the driven ring 35 is of course dependent upon the net result of those two motions. 'I'he rate of rotation of the several rollers about their individual axes may be varied of course, to regulate the rate and direction of rotation of the driven ring 35, by shifting the .control ring 31 along the tapered sections of the rollers, since the eiective radius of each of the rollers is thereby varied.

In this instance the control ring 31 is shifted along the rollers by al nut 50 transversely slotted .to receive the projecting end of one of the pins 40, the nut being threaded upon a screw 5I journalled and longitudinally fixed in the roof of the housing Iliand equipped with a hand wheel 52 by which it may be manipulated.

Various changes may be made -in the embodiment of the inventionhereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the inventionr as defined in I claim: 1. In a variable speed transmission the combi# nation of a roller revolVa-ble in planetary fashion about a central axis. three elements coacting with said roller at longitudinally spaced points thereon to position the same relative to said axis,

'two of' said elements comprising spaced torque sustaining rings in rolling engagement with said viding a fulcrum support for said roller, means 3 5 for adjusting one of saidIelements to induce thereon to position said roller relative to said axis, two of said elements comprising spaced torque sustaining rings in rolling engagement with said roller, saidrings being disposed coaxially of said axis and one of said rings being rotatable relative to the other, the third of said elements providing a fulcrum support .for said roller, and means for adjusting one otsaid elements to induce pressure contact between said roller and rings.'

, V3. In a variable speed transmission the combination cfa roller revolvable in planetary fashion about a central axis, and three elements coacting with said roller at longitudinally spaced points thereon'to position said roller relative tov said axis, two of said elements comprising spaced torque sustaining ringsl in rolling engagement with said rollers, one of said rings being rotatable relative to the other. the third of said elements providing fulcrum supports for said rollers, and

l means for adiustingone of said elements to induce pressure contact between lsaid rollers and rings. ,Y I

4. In a variable speed transmission the comf bination of a.plurality of rollers revolvable in tudinally spaced points thereon to position said reason of ftheir frictional engagementwith the contro? ring, the lseveral rollers ofcourse revolve about their individual axes in directions opposite planetary fashion about a central axis, three ele-4 Y ments coactingwith all of said rollers at longirollers relative to said axis, two of said elements comprising spaced torque sustaining `rings in rolling engagement with'said rollers, one of said j to the direction of their rotary travel with the 75 rings being rotatable.v relative to the other, the

and another section in rolling engagement with third oi' said elements providing iuicruin supports for said rollers, and means for adjusting one ci said elements to induce pressure contact between said rollers and rings.

5. In a varia-ble speed transmission 'the com- -bination of a plurality of rollers revolvable in rand rings, and another of said elements Ibeing moveable to vary the rate of relative rotation between said rings. K

6. In a variable speed transmission the combination oi' a non-rotating ring. a torque transmitting rotating ring coaxial therewith, a rotor disposed' coaxially-of said rings, a plurality oi planet 'rollers each having a tapered section in rolling engagement with said non-rotating ring said rotating ring, swivel bearings in said rotor in which said rollers vare respectively journalled,-

means for effecting axial adjustment of .said

rotor to induce .pressure contact between said f rollers and ring, and means for effecting adjustment of said non-rotating ring along theta'- pered sections of said rollers to vary the rate of rotation of said rotating ring.

7. In a variable speed transmission the corn-l bination of a rotor. swivel Ibearings carried thereby, a plurality of planet rollers each journalled intermediate its ends in one of said bearings, a torque transmitting ring, a control ring, `each of said rollers having one end portion in rolling engagement with one of said rings and the other end portion in rolling engagement with the other of said rings, means for eiecting relative axial adjustment between said rotor and said rotating ring tof induce pressure contact between said rollers and rings, and means for effecting relative axial adjustment between said rotor and said non-rotating ring to thereby vary the rate of rotation ot said rotating ring.

' AIFRED G. BADE. 

